Knockdown fruit box



April 3, 195i J. sPANJER n KNOCKDOWN FRUIT BOX Filed Jan. 26, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 John 5'/ INVENTOR JCI/)QJGT' o o w o o l l 2 22 21. |\\|2 on @(le olf@ 2 2 Wl .HH 2 W W1@ d o ATTE! R N EYS April 1951 J. sPANJr-:R 2,547,672

KNocxDowN FRUIT Box Filed Jan. 26, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 6 37 INVENTOR. LLLLI-l I 1 c/Bhn ,/panjer A'ITCI RN EYE Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES BATENT OFFICE.4

KNCKDWN FRUIT BOX .lohn Spanje-r, Ephrata, Wash.

Application January'26, 1949, Serial No. 72,791 2 claims.4 (c1. 217-12) This inventionl relates to a. container, and more. particularly to a container which can be collapsed,

as desired.

The object of the invention is Vto provide a` con,- tainer for shipping merchandise` therein, such as fruit, and which canpbe. c ollapsedrafter themlerchandise has been removedin order to occupy a,

minimum of space.

Another object ofthenventionisto provide a receptacle which can bereadily assembled, to. provide a rugged andd safe Shipping case for freight, andy which,4 when; empty, can beequhclrlyvr disassembled whereby a; 1;;luralityA ofithe disassembled; boxes can be returnedI to the: growers in a minimum of spacesotha-t thefreight charges.

In the accompanying drawings. forming a part of this application, and in Which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is'a side elevational View of thashipping case according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational View,v of oneendof the case;

Figure 3 is an elevational View of the other end of the case;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line li-fl of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken von the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 1 Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating certain constructional details of the one corner of the case;

Figure 8 is a perspective View illustrating certain constructional details of another corner of the case;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the rod for connecting the hinge sections together.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the box or shipping case is adapted to be collapsed or disassembled when not in use, and the case comprises a rst rectangular end member 2e fabricated of plastic or berboard and provided with four metal L-beams or angle irons 2 I. The angle irons 2l are arranged contiguous to and parallel with the edges of the end member and each angle iron 2| has a leg 22 secured to the end member 20 byV securing elements, such asv rivets 23. A second rectangular end member 2t is` arranged in spaced, parallel relation with respect to the end memberZIl, and the end member 24 has'a pair of spaced, parallelangle irons' 25V secured thereto by rivets 23. The angle irons 25. are arranged contiguous to and parallel with `the top and bottom edges of the end member 24.y

A top Wall 2l' and a bottom Wall 28V are arranged in spaced, parallel relation With respectv to each other and these walls extend'between the end membersZll and 2t. The top and bottom Walls have the: same construction and are thereforeinterchangeable.. Thus, a pair of angle irons 29 are spaced from the ends of the walls 2l and 28' and the angle irons 29' abut the end members 20 and 24 when the, case or box is assembled. Each of the top and bottom walls. has secured to each of its endsby rivets a transverselyeextending hook member 3e. which slidably receives andY Y holds, therein the corresponding angle ironthat is secured tothe end members.

Arranged at right anglesv with respect to the top and bottom walls of the case or crate isa pair of spaced, parallel side members 3l which each has the same construction and each includes apair of spaced, parallel boards or slats 33 and.

The end members 29 and 24 are each provided with a plurality of locks or catches 49 which are pivotally connected thereto by pins tl. These locks are mounted for movement into and out of registry or engagement with notches 42 which are arranged in the angle irons 29 that are secured to the top and bottom walls, whereby shifting movement of the top wall and side walls will be prevented.

In assembling the case, the end member is held in a vertical position, and the hook members 30 on one end of the top wall 27 and bottom wall 2B are moved or slid into engagement with the horizontally-disposed angle irons 2| on the end member 20. Then, the hook members 35 of the side members 3l are moved into engagement with the vertically-disposed angle irons 2l on the end member 20. Then, the other end member 24 is arranged so that its pairs of angle irons 25 engage with or are held by the hook members 30 on the other ends of the top andv bottom walls. Finally, the hinge sections 36 on the side members 3| are aligned with the hinge sections 31 on the end member Ztl, and the rod 38 inserted therethrough to hold the box in assembled relation.

Fruit or other merchandise can be safely shipped in the box, and after the case or box is emptied, the case can be readily disassembled and a large number of the boxes packed in a small space to reduce the cost of freight in returning the cases.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

1. A collapsible case comprising a iirst rectangular end member, an angle iron arranged contiguous to and parallel with each of the edges of said end member and secured to the latter, a second rectangular end member arranged in spaced, parallel relation with respect to said rst end member, an angle iron arranged contiguous to and parallel with the upper and lower edges of said second end member and secured thereto, a hinge section arranged contiguous to and parallel with each side edge of said second end member and secured thereto, a top wall and a bottom wall arranged in spaced, parallel relation with respect to each other and extending between said end members, a transversely-extending angle iron spaced from each end of said top and bottom walls and abutting said end members, a transversely-extending elongated hook member secured to each end of said top and bottom Walls for slidably receiving and holding therein the complemental angle irons on said end members, a pair of spaced, parallel side members arranged at right angles with respect to said top and bottom Walls and extending between said end members, a horizontally-extending elongated hook member secured to an end of each of the side members for slidably receiving and holding therein the angle irons arranged along the side edges of said rst end member, a hinge section secured to the other end of each of said side members, and means detachably connecting the hinge section on said second end member to the hinge section of said side member.

2. A collapsible case comprising a first rectangular end member, an angle iron arranged contiguous to each of the edges of said end member and secured to the latter, a second rectangular end member arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to said first end member, an angle iron arranged contiguous to the upper and lower edges of said second end member and secured thereto, a hinge section arranged contiguous to each side edge of said second end member and secured thereto, a top wall and a bottom Wall arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other and extending between said end members, a transversely extending angle iron spaced from each end of said top and bottom Walls and abutting said end members, a transversely extending elongated hook member secured to each end of said top and bottom walls for slidably receiving and holding therein the complemental angle irons on said end members, a pair of .spaced parallel side members extending between said end members, a horizontally extending elongated hook member secured to an end of each of the side members for slidably receiving and holding therein the angle irons arranged along the side edges of said first end member, a hinge section secured to the other end of each of said side members, and means detachably connecting the hinge section on said second end member to the hinge section of said side member.

JOHN SPANJER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 589,188 Morlan Aug. 31, 1897 1,507,042 Binkley Sept. 2, 1924 1,523,693 Korn Jan. 20, 1925 

